Connector Reference Data

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REFERENCE DATA

ST-1

SECTION ST

January 2003Printed in USA

ALUMINUM AND BRONZE CONNECTORS

ALLOYS, CONNECTORS, HARDWARE & INSTALLATION

In over 100 years of serving the electrical industry, Anderson has earned a reputation for being a creative leader in the designand manufacture of electrical connectors, fittings and related accessories. The Anderson acceptance of these responsibilities isbest exemplified through our wholly self-sufficient facilities. Design Engineering, Testing and Metallurgical Laboratories, and

all facets of Manufacturing are geared for research, development and production of a full line of quality bronze, aluminum andductile iron products.

The following information conveys helpful reference for material composition, installation, standardization and definitions ap-plying to connectors and fittings as developed during our years of experience.

ALUMINUM CONNECTORS

Aluminum Alloys:

Connectors and fittings requiring high mechanical propertiesare cast from aluminum alloy 356. Sand cast 356 is heat treatedto the T6 temper, and permanent mold castings are heat treatedto the T61 temper. The 356 alloy is a 7 per cent silicon—0.3

per cent magnesium-aluminum alloy. The alloy is not suscep-tible to stress corrosion or season cracking. Its volume conduc-tivity is approximately 39 per cent, I.A.C.S.

Cast compression connectors requiring a soft high conductivi-ty aluminum are supplied from 99 plus per cent pure alumi-num. Other aluminum compression connectors are made fromcommercially pure high conductivity wrought aluminum.

Installation Recommendations For Aluminum Con-nectors

Select type of connector from those listed below and followthe indicated procedure.

CONNECTOR TYPE INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

Bolted ....................................Procedure #1

Welded ..................................Procedure #2

Compression .........................Procedure #3

Welded and Bolted ................Procedure #2 followed by Procedure #1

Compression and Bolted .......Procedure #3 followed by Procedure #1

Welded and Compression..... Procedure #2 followed by Procedure #3

PROCEDURE #1—BOLTED CONNECTIONSA. For aluminum to aluminum connections and aluminum to

copper connections without a copper lined contact.1. Vigorously clean all contact surfaces of the connector

and conductor with a stiff stainless steel wire brush toremove oxides. A typically bright aluminum surfaceshould be obtained. Do Not Wire Brush Plated Con-tact Surfaces.

2. Immediately coat these contact areas with a liberalamount of contact sealant.

3. Install fitting with bolts finger tight. If a generous bead

of compound does not appear, remove the conductorand add more sealant.

4. Alternately (criss-cross) and evenly tighten bolts witha torque wrench to the values shown on page 6.

5. Excess sealant squeezed out of joint can be left as is orcan be lightly smoothed along contact line.

6. All excess sealant must be removed from EHV Con-nectors and entirely from cable insulation.

B. For Aluminum connectors with a copper liner to copperconnection.

1. For maximum corrosion protection of the joint, thesteps given in A-1 to A-5 should be followed.

PROCEDURE #2—WELDED CONNECTIONSA. For cable connections:

1. Remove all oil, grease and water in vicinity of surfacesto be welded. Vigorously clean the conductor and connector welding areas with a stainless steel brush.

2. Slide the conductor into the weldment cavity until it iswithin 1/8” to 3/16” of the rear of the welding barrel.

3. Prior to welding the connection, a test bead should bemade upon an aluminum casting to test the weld set-

tings. (See our catalog Section G - Substation Connec-tors for detailed welding procedure).

4. Begin welding by “burning into” the inner wall of thecasting and proceeding toward the conductor center.Wire brush the original weld if more than one weldpass is required.

B. For tubular connections:1. Remove all oil, grease and water in vicinity of surfaces

to be welded. Vigorously clean the conductor and connector welding areas with a stainless steel brush.

2. Align the tubular bus and connector groove. Beginwelding by “burning into” the inner wall of the castingand proceeding toward the conductor center. Wirebrush the original weld if more than one weld pass isrequired.

3. Prior to welding the connection, a test bead should bemade upon an aluminum casting to test the weld set-tings. (See our catalog Section G - Substation Connec-tors for detailed welding procedure).

4. Due to the manufacturing tolerances on aluminumtubular bus, it is recommended that the tube be posi-tioned in the weldment cavity and tack welded beforestarting final weld.



REFERENCE DATA

SECTION ST

ST-2January 2003

Printed in USA

C. For welded connectors with a copper lined contact:1. Firmly bolt the copper lined contact section of connec-

tor to the mating contact surface or to a suitable heatsink prior to welding. This prevents damage to thebonded liner.

2. Weld the aluminum connection in accordance withsteps A or B above. If a heat sink is used, allow con-nector to cool before removing. The connector may becooled by quenching in water.

PROCEDURE #3—COMPRESSION CONNECTIONS1. Vigorously clean the conductor contact area with a

stainless steel brush. Do not attempt to clean connectorbarrel. It is not necessary to apply sealant to the con-ductor. All connectors will have sealant applied at thefactory.

2. Fully insert the conductor into the barrel and crimp.Crimping should begin nearest the center of sleevetype connectors. For closed barrel type connectorscrimping should begin at the end and work toward the

open end. Excess sealant squeezed out of the joint maybe smoothed out around the mouth of the barrel. Allexcess sealant must be removed from EHV Connectorsor any cable insulation.

Installation Recommendations for Aluminum to Cop-per Connections Using Aluminum Connectors

Connectors with contact sealant—

Aluminum connec-tors can be used for making aluminum to copper connectionsif the proper installation care is observed. This includes the useof a sealant in accordance with practices outlined above. Useof a sealant protects the connection from oxide formation andelectrolytic corrosion for as long as it remains present in the

connection completely coating the surfaces and sealing outmoisture.

Added protection in addition to sealants is available. Alumi-num distribution connectors can be supplied with plating orwith copper lined contacts.

Bi-Metallic Transition Plates

-Aluminum to copper con-nections between flat NEMA drilled tongues and bars can bemade using transition plates (Type TP). These plates areformed from sheets of 80% aluminum 20% copper which aremolecularly bonded together. Best results are obtained by us-ing contact sealant. Always position the aluminum conductorabove the copper conductor.

Tin Plating

—Tin plating can be furnished on certain connec-tors by adding suffix “-GP” to the catalog number, aluminumdistribution.

Hardware

—Anodized Aluminum Clamping Bolts are stan-dard with most Aluminum Power Connectors and may be sup-plied at extra cost with other connectors. The bolts arefabricated 2024-T4 aluminum and are anodized. After anodiz-ing, the coating is sealed with a dichromate solution which im-parts a yellow-green finish.

Standard nuts furnished on aluminum bolts are 6061 T6 drywaxed coated.

Insulator attachment hardware for bus supports is galvanizedsteel.

BRONZE AND COPPER CONNECTORS

Copper Casting Alloys

Our modern, all electric furnaces provide copper alloy castingsof the highest quality possible. The alloy used will vary ac-cording to the requirement of the component.

Connectors requiring high tensile strength and corrosion resis-tance in application are cast from Anderson Alloy 112 (ASTMB-30 Alloy No. C95500). The 112 alloy is a 10% aluminum,4.5% nickel copper alloy with a minimum tensile strength of 90,000 PSI.

Connectors requiring current-carrying abilities and reasonablestrength are cast from Anderson Alloy 123 (ASTM B-30 AlloyNo. C84400). The 123 metal is a 81% copper—3% tin—7%lead—9% zinc alloy.

For heavy duty copper compression connectors CDA 110 cop-per is used. This 110 alloy is 99.9% pure copper.

Other copper compression connectors are made from commer-cially pure high conductivity wrought copper.

Conductivity is purposely omitted in the above descriptionsbecause it is often confused with current-carrying capacity.

While connector alloys may vary in conductivity, design pa-rameters are applied in each case to assure adequate capacity.While connector alloys may vary in conductivity, design pa-rameters are applied in each case to assure adequate capacityto meet the particular application.

Installation Recommendations for Bronze and Cop-per Connectors

Bronze Bolted Connectors

—Contact sealants are not nor-mally required in copper connections. However, the use of sealant is recommended in severe corrosive environments anddirect burial applications such as ground grids.

Vigorously clean the conductor and connector contact surfaceswith a stainless steel wire brush.

Alternately and evenly tighten bolts with a torque wrench tothe values shown in Recommended Torque Values table.

Hardware

—Silicon bronze hardware is normally suppliedfor all conductor clamping bronze components. Stainless steelhardware may be substitued where and when necessary.



REFERENCE DATA

ST-3

SECTION ST

January 2003

Printed in USA

Copper Compression Connections

—Vigorously cleanthe conductor contact surfaces with a stainless steel wirebrush. Do not attempt to clean connector barrel. In general it isnot necessary to apply sealant to the conductor or connectors.Copper connectors requiring sealant have the sealant applied

at the factory. The use of sealant is recommended in severecorrosive environments and direct burial applications such asground grids. Sealants may be designated for a copper connec-tor by adding the appropriate suffix to the basic catalog num-ber.

Installation Recommendations for Copper to Alumi-num Connectors Using Copper Connectors

When making copper to aluminum connections, using bronzeor copper connectors, best results will be obtained by using thefollowing methods.

1. Tin plate the copper base connection and use sealant

between the aluminum and copper. (Tin plating may bespecified by adding suffix “-TP” to bronze and copperconnectors).

2. Copper pad connectors may be attached directly to analuminum pad if sealant is freely used.

3. The use of an aluminum conductor in a standard cop-per base connector (plated or unplated), is not recom-mended.

4. An aluminum to copper cable transition may be madedirectly using an aluminum connector as covered in thepreceding section on Aluminum Connectors.

Note With Any Transition Method: Do Not Position The Aluminum Member In Such A Way That Would Allow Water To Drain From The Copper Connector Over (Or Into) The Aluminum Connection Point.

General Information on Bronze or Copper Connec-tors

In regard to bolted connectors; components to be in contactwith cable and tube are supplied with “as cast” surfaces. Con-ductor grooves for cables are designed with ample radii to pre-vent conductor damage.

Connector Design

—In all of our bronze and aluminumpower connectors, the temperature rise of the connector shallnot exceed the temperature rise of the conductor with which itis intended to be used. The temperature rise of an electric power connector which connects conductors of varying sizes shall

not exceed the temperature rise of the conductor having thehighest temperature rise. All temperatures are based on theconductor being rated at 30 degrees rise over a 40 degrees am-bient, indoors, in still but unconfined air. Our bronze and alu-minum connectors conform to one of the following asapplicable:

NEMA Standard Publications No. CC-1-1993CC-3-1973 (ANSI C119.4-1976)

U.L. 486

Contact Sealants

—Various sealant formulations have beendeveloped to provide improved electrical and mechanical performance as well as environmental protection to the contact area. Non-petroleum base sealants are provided for undergroundapplications and other applications where natural or syntheticrubber goods might be adversely affected.

The use of sealants are recommended for aluminum to alumi-num or aluminum to copper connections which are subjectedto severe corrosive environments and when used in direct buri-al applications such as ground grids.

Non-gritted sealants are recommended for flat connections andas a groove sealant in bolted connectors.

Our gritted sealants are primarily used in compression connectors. Aluminum compression connectors have sealant applied

at the factory.

Aluminum stud connectors are supplied with factory appliedsealant in the threaded portion. To obtain factory applied sealant in other connectors add the desired sealant suffix designa-tion to the basic catalog number. Example: ACF-6-C-XB

“-XB” for petroleum based sealant



REFERENCE DATA

SECTION ST

ST-4January 2003

Printed in USA

RECOMMENDED TYPES OF HARDWARE AND INSTALLATION MOUNTING

HARDWARE FOR JOINING LIKE ORUNLIKE METALS

KEY:

Si-Br—Silicon Bronze GS—Galvanized Steel

SS—Stainless Steel AL—Aluminum

(1) denotes preferred hardware usage.

Note:Contact sealant should be used between Aluminum to Alumi-num and Aluminum to Copper connections.

ALUMINUM CONNECTORS

Aluminum Connector (Clamping Hardware)

2024-T4 with #205 Alumilite Finish Aluminum-Bolt

7075-T6 Aluminum Lockwasher, Etch Finish

6061-T6 Plain Aluminum Nut, Wax Finish

Aluminum To Aluminum Assemblies(Tongue Mounting HardwareAs Assembled At Factory)

2024-T4 with #205 Alumilite Finish Aluminum-Bolt

7075-T6 Aluminum Flatwasher

7075-T6 Aluminum Lockwasher, Etch Finish6061-T6 Plain Aluminum Nut, Wax Finish

Aluminum To Copper Assemblies

(Tongue Mounting Hardware)

Aluminum

Galvanized Steel BoltGalvanized Steel Flatwasher

Galvanized Steel LockwasherGalvanized Steel Nut

Copper

BRONZE CONNECTORS

Bronze Connector (Clamping Hardware)

Silicon Bronze Bolt

Silicon Bronze LockwasherSilicon Bronze Nut

Bronze To Copper Assemblies (Tongue Mounting Hardware)

Bronze

Silicon Bronze Bolt

Silicon Bronze FlatwasherSilicon Bronze LockwasherSilicon Bronze Nut

Copper

RECOMMENDED TORQUE VALUES FORBOLTED CONNECTORS

Tightening Force Applied to Hardware: Following areANDERSON’S recommended torque values applying to allclamping hardware used in connectors and fittings.

Note:Care should be taken to prevent sealant from being applied tohardware since torque values will be affected if the hardwarebecomes lubricated with sealant.

*SS Clamping for AL connectorsNOTE: All eyestems have a recommended torque of 200 lbs.—inches.

BOLTDIA.

RECOMMENDED TORQUENON-LUBRICATED

STEEL & SILICON BRONZE HDWE.LB. INCHES

RECOMMENDED TORQUELUBRICATED HDWE.& ALUMINUM HDWE.

LB. INCHES*

5/16”3/8”1/2”5/8”3/4”

180240480660840

120168300480720



REFERENCE DATA

ST-5

SECTION ST

January 2003

Printed in USA

LETTER SUFFIX DESIGNATIONS TO STANDARD CATALOG NUMBER FORSPECIAL FEATURES

CatalogNo.

Suffix

Description of Changeor Modification

A

Aluminum loop will be supplied instead of copper loop.

AH

Advance handle only—VCF and VCF6 hotstick assemblies.

AS

Aluminum hardware will be suppliedinstead of the usual (or standard) hardware.

BNK

Bolt, nut and cotter key will be suppliedinstead of usual clevis pin.

BNN

Bolt, nut and jam nut will be suppliedinstead of usual clevis pin.

BW

Belleville washers will be supplied instead

of usual washers.

C

A clevis fitting will be supplied with strain,suspension and dead end clamps.

CF

Center-formed tongue will be supplied onlugs where side formed tongues are standardon bronze and aluminum items.

CRF

Corona free strain clamp.

E

An eyestem will be supplied instead of theusual hex head bolt. (This applies generallyto stirrup and cable clamps).

ED

Everdur (silicon bronze) hardware will besupplied instead of the usual hardware.

FTP

Flowed-tin plating will be supplied on

bronze items. (.0001-.0003 thick andflowed)

FW

A flatwasher will be supplied instead of alockwasher.

G

A guide will be supplied on expansion con-nectors.

GA

Galvanized hardware will be suppliedinstead of usual hardware.

GP

Tin plating will be supplied on aluminumitems.

HP

Hexagon clevis pin furnished instead of standard clevis pin.

Catalog

No.Suffix

Description of Change

or Modification

HW

Hexagon head bolt with a flat washer underthe head will be supplied instead of the usualbolts.

LW

A lockwasher will be supplied instead of aflatwasher.

N

Neither socket nor clevis fittings will be sup-plied with suspension, or dead end clamps.

NSB

No spacer bar on straight line dead endclamps.

S

A socket will be supplied with suspensionand dead end clamps.

SE

A static eliminator spring will be supplied onbus supports.

SF

Side formed tongue will be supplied when acenter formed tongue is standard.

Special

The catalog number specified is to be modi-fied for particular requirements which theitem will not otherwise fill.

TB

Electro-tin plate loop (bail) .0002”-.0004”.

TP

Tin plating will be supplied on bronze items,(Electro-tin .0002”-.0004” thick).

U

U-bolts may be supplied on these items.

UD

An undrilled tongue will be supplied on ter-minals or lugs.

XB

The connector will be supplied with thegrooves coated with a petroleum base seal-ant and enclosed in a polyethylene bag.

XY

Contact surface finished on both sides of tongue.

When more than one suffix is required to designate more than one special feature, they should be arranged in alphabetical order except when the suffix is published as part of the catalognumber.

A suffix added to a catalog number denotes that a change or modification is to be made to the standard catalog item. The suffixeslisted below are for the convenience of our customers. The list does not include special modifications made for one customeronly but those having general application.



REFERENCE DATA

SECTION ST

ST-6January 2003

Printed in USA

KEY SYMBOLS TO ANDERSON ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS CATALOG NUMBERS

Aluminum Connectors for Cable*

**Multi-Range is accomplished by reversing the clampingcap.*The Decimal Range is to be considered as the final criteriafor application. The ACSR and Aluminum Cable Rangeswill not necessarily fall within the Decimal Range for allstandings.

CONDUCTOR RANGE

CATALOG

NUMBERCODE

ALUMINUM

COPPERAWG-MCM

ACSRAWG-MCM

DECIMALRANGE INCHES

6**7911131516182122

#4—1/0— 250—400350—600600—900900—1250

1250—16001500–20002000—25002500—3000

—

#4—1/0—4/04/0—336.4336.4—477

556.5—795.5715.5—11131113—12721272—1590

*Decimal Range

.232—.398

.368—.575

.563—.744

.681—.893.870—1.108

1.081—1.2931.289—1.4591.382—1.6321.632—1.8241.824—2.0002.000—2.200

Copper or AluminumFlat Bar

*Bar thickness & spacing (if same) are added at end of com-pleted catalog number as “-1/ 4,” “-1/2,” etc.

CODE

NO.

WIDTH

IN INCHES*

10142024303440506080

100120

11 1/2

22 1/2

33 1/2

45681012

Copper or AluminumIPS Tubing

CODE

NO.

IPS

DIAMETER

020304061012142024303440445060

1/43/81/23/41

1 1/41 1/2

22 1/2

33 1/2

44 1/2

56

Bronze Connectors for Cable

BRONZE REVERSIBLE CABLE CAPS

Unless otherwise indicated all bronze cable connectors have cable sectionsdesigned to accommodate a range of conductors. Their wide application flex-ibility offers the distinct advantages of reducing stock inventory, and possi-

bility of errors of misapplication. There is no sacrifice of either electrical ormechanical efficiency when using reversible cable caps. This design is fieldproven by years of trouble free service in locations where severe operatingconditions exist.

Our four bolt reversible cable cap design is adequate for high current capacityconductors, yet priced in line with standard duty connectors.

VERS-A-GROOVECAP NUMBER

CABLE RANGE

DECIMALRANGE INCHES

SMALL GROOVE LARGE GROOVE

MIN. MAX. MIN. MAX.

022025050080100150200

#6#4

1/0 Sol.2/0 Sol.4/0 Str.

250500

#21/0

4/0 Str.500 MCM750 MCM750 MCM

1500 MCM

#22/02505007507501500

2/0250 MCM500 MCM800 MCM

1000 MCM1500 MCM2000 MCM

.162—.419

.204—.575

.325—.813.365—1.031.522—1.152.474—1.412.811—1.632

Copper or AluminumThreaded Studs

*Threads per inch are added at the end of completed catalog number as”-12,” “-16,”etc. Smooth studs are specified by adding“-0.”

CODENO.

DIAMETERIN INCHES*

01020304050607

101112131415161720212223242630323436405060

1/81/43/81/25/83/47/8

111/81 1/41 3/81 1/21 5/81 3/41 7/8

22 1/82 1/42 3/82 1/22 3/4

33 1/43 1/23 3/4

456

Large Groove Small Groove



REFERENCE DATA

ST-7

SECTION ST

January 2003

Printed in USA

ANDERSON PAD DESIGNATIONS FOR NEMA STANDARD DRILLING



REFERENCE DATA

SECTION ST

ST-8January 2003

Printed in USA

NEMA CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS ELECTRIC POWER CONNECTORS

CC 1-4.06 NUMBER AND DIAMETER OF BOLTS FOR CONNECTORS

* Applies to cable only.NOTE I—Each U bolt is counted as two bolts.NOTE II—For shackle design (single casting wrap-around conductor), each bolt counts as two bolts.NOTE III—When two different sizes of conductors are involved, the bolts specified for the smallest conductor may be used.NOTE IV—When three bolts are specified, the following exceptions apply:

a. Terminal lugs shall have a minimum of four bolts or the equivalent for a single conductor.

b. Stud connectors shall have minimum of four bolts or the equivalent for the stud portion.

NOTE V—Bronze alloy bolts shall have a minimum tensile strength of 70,000 pounds per square inch and aluminum alloy boltsshall have a minimum tensile strength of 55,000 pounds per square inch.

NOTE VI—Nominal torque values shall be:

L—Lubricated

EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATING THE USE OFTHE TABLE IN CC 1-4.06

EXAMPLE NO. 1—A straight coupler connector or a 90-degree elbow connector is used to connect a conductor of 1-1/2 inchpipe to another conductor of 1-1/2-inch pipe. After locating the proper line for the 1-1/2-inch pipe in the first column of thetable, the total number of bolts required can be determined from the information given for the connectors, as follows:

Type of Conductor For Copper ConductorsFor Aluminum or ACSR

Conductors

StandardPipe Size,

InchesCopper Cable,

kcmil

Aluminum orACSR Cable

OutsideDiameter,

Inches

StudDiameter,

Inches

Single SizeStandard Duty

Bolts PerConductor

Single SizeHeavy DutyBolts Per

Conductor

Range TakingBolts Per

Conductor

RangeTaking*

Bolts Per Conductor

Single SizeBolts Per

Conductor

NumberDia.

Inches NumberDia.

Inches NumberDia.

Inches NumberDia.

Inches Num-berDia.

Inches

3/81/2

3/4 thru 11 1/4 thru 2

2 1/23 thru 4

4 1/2 thru 6

#4 thru 2/03/0 thru 500550 thru 800

900 thru 2000900 thru 20002250 thru 3000

. . .

0.200 thru 0.399. . .. . .

0.400 thru 1.4120.400 thru 1.4121.413 thru 1.850

. . .

1/25/8 thru 1 1/8

. . .1 1/4 thru 2 1/2

. . .2 3/4 thru 5

. . .

233333

. . .

3/83/83/81/21/25/8. . .

334444

. . .

3/83/83/81/21/25/8. . .

444444

. . .

3/83/83/81/21/25/8. . .

244444

. . .

1/21/21/21/21/25/8. . .

2444446

1/21/21/21/21/25/85/8

Diameter Of Bolts,Inches

Nominal Torque Values

Foot/Pound Inch/Pound

3/81/25/83/8L1/2L5/8L

204055152540

240480660180300480

For standard-duty connectors—

Three 1/2-inch-diameterbolts per conductor

x2 (number of

conductors)=

a total of six 1/2-inch-diameterbolts per fitting

For heavy-duty connectors—

Four 1/2-inch-diameterbolts per conductor

x2 (number of

conductors)=

a total of eight 1/2-inch-diameterbolts per fitting



REFERENCE DATA

ST-9

SECTION ST

January 2003

Printed in USA

NEMA CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS ELECTRIC POWER CONNECTORS—continued

EXAMPLE NO. 2—A single-size “T” connector is used to connect a 3-inch Schedule 40 aluminum main to a 397.5 kcmil

ACSR tap (outside diameter = 0.743 inch).

After locating the proper line for the 3-inch pipe in the first column of the table, it will be seen that the connectors require four5/8-inch-diameter bolts per conductor.

After locating the proper line for the 0.743-inch-outside diameter ACSR tap in the third column of the table, it will be seen thatthe connectors require four 1/2-inch-diameter bolts per conductor.

In this case and in accordance with Note III following the table, the manufacturer has the choice of using either four 1/2-inch-diameter bolts per conductor of four 5/8-inch-diameter bolts per conductor.

EXAMPLE NO.3—A copper stud connector having a 1-1/8”-12 thread is connected to copper cable ranging from 400 to 800kcmil in size. Using the fourth column for the stud and the second column for the copper cable, it will be seen that the connectorsrequire the following bolts:

1. Four 3/8-inch-diameter bolts per conductor for the stud.2. Four 1/2-inch-diameter bolts per conductor for the cable.

In this case and in accordance with Note III following the table, the manufacturer has the choice of using either four 3/8-inch-diameter bolts per conductor or four 1/2-inch-diameter bolts per conductor.



REFERENCE DATA

SECTION ST

ST-10January 2003

Printed in USA

WELDING ALUMINUM BUSES AND CONNECTORS

Recommended welding procedures to ensure a sound weldare as follows:

Pure aluminum melts at 1220° F while aluminum alloysmelt in the range of 1020° F depending on the alloy contentof the particular metal involved. When aluminum alloys areheated there is no color change. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to tell if the metal is near the welding tem-perature.

The ever present surface oxide films on aluminum have amelting point of 3600° F. The parent aluminum or alumi-num alloy can therefore be melted without fusing the sur-face oxides. Unless the film is removed, cleanliness of themolten filler metal and the parent metal cannot be completeand both strength and conductivity may be sacrificed.Therefore, it is of prime importance that the aluminum ox-

ides be removed from the aluminum alloys before weldingis started. In the shielded arc welding method the shieldinggas has a tendency to clean the material as weldingprogresses.

CLEANING OF BUSES AND FITTINGS

It is very important to remove all greases and oxides fromthe surfaces to be welded. This can be accomplished by us-ing a mild alkaline solution or standard degreasing solution.The preferred method is to use a stainless steel wire brushand vigorously scrub the surfaces to be welded. The stain-less steel brushes are specified because the stainless steelhas less of a tendency to pick up particles of aluminum and

aluminum oxides.

WELDING METHODS

Anderson recommends the following two types of weldingmethods for welding aluminum fittings and buses:

1. TUNGSTEN-ARC WELDING (TIG). The inert gasshielded tungsten-arc process is widely used for weldingaluminum bus fittings. In this process the arc is establishedbetween a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the sec-tion to be welded. Inert gas envelops the arc to prevent ox-idation during welding. Hence, no flux is required. A bare

filler rod supplies filler metal to the weld area. To initiatethe arc the tungsten electrode is placed in contact with thecomponent and then withdrawn to establish an arc length of

approximately 3/16". The arc is given a circular motion un-til the base metal liquifies and the weld puddle is estab-lished. Filler metal is added by hand as required. In thisprocess, if more than one pass is required for a sufficientweld, the weld should be wire brushed between passes toremove any surface dirt or oxides which have accumulatedfrom the previous pass. Since no flux is used the finishedweld does not require cleaning. In this process the heat of the tungsten arc is concentrated in a smaller area and ismuch faster than the conventional type of welding and dis-tortion of the weld is negligible since the heat is concentrat-ed in a small area. In this process, if thicknesses greaterthan 1/ 2" are to be welded, preheating of the parts beforewelding will increase the welding speed.

2. METALLIC-ARC INERT-GAS SHIELDED WELD-ING. The consumable electrode inert-gas shielded metalarc (MIG) welding process combines the advantages of tungsten-arc welding with increased welding speed. Weld-ing can be done from any position and the process can beeither manual or automatic. Manual welding techniques aresomewhat different from other methods. However, a weld-er can be trained to use the MIG process with only a fewdays concentrated training. In the MIG process the bare fill-er rod is supplied as a coil of bare wire. In the commerciallyavailable equipment this wire is added to the weld at a pre-determined rate by a motor-driven feed that can be adjustedto the magnitude of the welding current. In this process, as

well as the tungsten-arc process, gas forms a shield aroundthe arch to prevent oxidation during welding. Either heli-um, argon or a mixture of helium and argon are suitableshielding gases. Pure argon is most widely used on sectionsless than 3/4" thick. On sections over 3/4" thick the gasesare usually mixed to combine the hotter arc characteristicsof helium with the stabilizing effect of argon. If exception-ally hot arc characteristics are required, pure helium can besubstituted for the gas mixture. Precaution should be exer-cised if this substitution is made in that it is very easy toburn through the items that are to be welded with a pure he-lium atmosphere.



REFERENCE DATA

ST-11

SECTION ST

January 2003

Printed in USA

The reasons that Anderson has selected the metallic-arc in-ert-gas shielded welding method is that in this process thefiller metal can be automatically fed through the weldingmechanism and eliminates holding the electrode holder inone hand and the filler metal in the other as in the tungstenarc method. Figure 1 of the attached drawing shows the ba-sic components for a metallic-arc inert-gas shielding pro-cess (MIG) and Figure 2 shows the basic components forthe tungsten-arc process (TIG). As it is readily apparent,the basic difference between the two types of welding ap-paratus is the automatic feeding mechanism for the fillerwire.

In both types of apparatuses the electrode holder and thewelding gun can or cannot be cooled by water. If weldingcurrents of more than 125 amps are required, both methodswill have to have water cooling aparatuses to the electrodeholder and the welding gun.

WELDERS’ QUALIFICATIONS

No welding should be done until the operator has had expe-rience with welding aluminum alloys by the methods de-scribed above. Men with previous experience in metal

welding should be selected for training in welding alumi-num for a period of training of not less than one week afterwhich time the man can be considered proficient in the useof the equipment and in the welding of aluminum joints.After this period, there should be no difficulty experiencedin welding aluminum alloys. It is suggested, if practical,that welders should practice on actual fittings or buses be-fore proceeding with the welding of the required job.

The following is Anderson's recommended specificationfor current fittings, wire feeds, gas flows, etc. These specifications are of a general nature to the extent that many factors have to be considered such as:

l.Type of equipment used, whether water cooled or not,etc.2.The size and mass of the piece to be welded.3.The position of the weld.4.And most important of all, the operator's skill.5.AII persons in the welding area should wear the propershields. The arc is approximately twice as strong as thestandard AC welding arc. Extreme caution should be exercised for the protection of eyes.

Fig. 1 Metallic-arch inert-gas shielded welding (MIG) Fig. 2 Inert-gas shielded tungsten-arch welding (TIG)



REFERENCE DATA

SECTION ST

ST-12January 2003

Printed in USA

GENERAL WELDING SPECIFICATIONSFOR CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE WELDING METHOD

SCOPE: This specification applies primarily to welded alu-minum connectors for substation construction.

MATERIAL:

CASTINGS—As furnished by Anderson are molded from356 aluminum alloy and heat treated to T6 condition, or#99 pure aluminum depending on the application.

FILLER ROD—043 aluminum alloy 1/16" diameter for all joints as shown in the Anderson catalog.

SHIELDING GAS—Argon.

WELDING APPARATUS—Tungsten-arc (TIG) or metal-lic-arc inert-gas shielding (MIG). A 400 amp welding ma-

chine with reverse polarity is capable of handling themajority of aluminum welding jobs.

PROCEDURES:

It is of the utmost importance to remove oil, grease, waterand oxide from the surfaces to be welded. All surfaces to bewelded should be wire brushed with a stainless steel brushprior to welding. If more than one weld pass is requ*ed, theoriginal weld should be wire brushed before applying addi-tional weld.

Pre-heating of surfaces to 400° E is optional, but by pre-heating the surfaces before welding it is possible for the op-erator to weld easily and faster.

IPS SIZE WALL THICKNESS AMPERES4043 FILLER

ROD SIZE

APPROX.ARGON FLOW

CFHPREHEAT °F

WIRE SPEEDINCHES PER MIN.

NO. PASSES

1/2 .108 125-150 1/16 20 None 170 1

3/4 .113 125-150 1/16 20 None 180 1

1 .133 125-150 1/16 30 None 180 1

1-1/4 .140 160-170 1/16 30 None 180 1

1-1/2 .144 160-170 1/16 30 None 180 1

2 .154 170-190 1/16 30 None 180 1

2-1/2 .203 170-190 1/16 40 None 180 1

3 .216 170-190 1/16 40Optional to

400°F180 1

3-1/2 .226 170-190 1/16 40Optional to

400°F200 1

4 .237 180-200 1/16 50Optional to

400°F200 1

4-1/2 .247 180-200 1/16 50Optional to

400°F200 1

5 .258 180-200 1/16 50Optional to

400°F200 1 or 2

6 .280 180-200 1/16 50Optional to

400°F200 1 or 2

FLAT BAR

METALLIC-ARC INERT-GAS CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE

FLAT BAR THICKNESS AMPERES 4043 FILLER ROD SIZEAPPROX. ARGON

FLOW CFHPREHEAT °F

WIRE SPEEDINCHES PER MIN.

1/8 125-150 1/16 30 None 180

1/4 180-200 1/16 50 Optional to 400°F 180

3/8 300 1/16 50 Optional to 400°F 200

1/2 340 1/16 60 400°F 200

3/4 375 1/16 60 400°F 200



REFERENCE DATA

ST-13

SECTION ST

TUNGSTEN - ARC

IPS SIZEWALL

THICKNESSAMPERES

GAS CUP DIA.INCHES

TUNGSTEN DIA.INCHES

ARGON FLOWCFH

PREHEAT °FNO.

PASSES4043 FILLER

ROD SIZE

1/2 .108 125-150 3/8 1/8 20 None 1 1/8

3/4 .113 125-150 3/8 1/8 20 None 1 1/8

1 .133 125-150 3/8 1/8 30 None 1 1/8

1-1/4 .140 160-170 3/8 1/8 30 None 1 1/8

1-1/2 .144 160-170 3/8 1/8 30 None 1 1/8

2 .154 170-190 1/8 1/8 30 None 1 3/16

2-1/2 .203 170-190 1/2 3/16 40 None 1 3/16

3 .216 170-190 1/2 3/16 40Optional to

400°F1 3/16

3-1/2 .226 170-190 1/2 3/16 40Optional to

400°F 1 3/16

4 .237 180-200 1/2 3/16 50Optional to

400°F1 3/16

4-1/2 .247 180-200 1/2 3/16 50Optional to

400°F1 3/16

5 .258 180-200 1/2 3/16 50Optional to

400°F1 or 2 3/16

6 .280 180-200 1/2 3/16 50Optional to

400°F1 or 2 3/16

FLAT BAR

FLAT BAR THICKNESS AMPERESGAS CUP

DIA. INCHESTUNGSTEN

DIA.

ARGONFLOW

CFH

PREHEAT°F

NO.PASSES

4043FILLER

ROD SIZE

1/8 125 3/8 1/8 30 None 1 1/8

1/4 150 1/2 3/16 30 None 1 3/16

3/8 300 1/2 3/16 50Optionalto 400°F

1 1/4

1/2 400 5/8 1/4 50 400°F 1 or 2 1/4

3/4 450 5/8 1/4 50 400°F 2 5/16

1 500 5/8 5/16 50 50 2 5/16

Documents

Connector Reference Data